TOP OF
THE CROPS It’s time to reap what you’ve grown So, this is it. This is the month you’ve been working towards; this is what the hard work’s been all about. You’ve fed, watered, pruned and protected… now it’s time for Mother Nature to make good your commitment with a bumper harvest. September is the key month for those who have lavished time and patience on their vegetable and fruit gardens. An indifferent growing season, starting with a hint of drought followed by grey, wet days and lowerthan-expected temperatures, hasn’t made life easy, but those who have open, south-facing gardens should really be looking forward to well-stocked larders this autumn. Let’s start with tomatoes. You may be waiting for them to turn that wonderful vibrant red on the vine before picking, but by then it might be too late and they are past their best. They are one of the few fruits which can be picked before they are ready, but as a guide, once you detect the first blush of colour get them off the vine and allow the ethylene gas within them to continue the ripening process. Once picked, store them indoors wrapped in newsprint to help retain the gas and hasten their development. In terms of temperature, stick to a range of 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit – a cooler environment will slow the ripening and vice versa. Remember to keep feeding the plants until all the fruits have been picked. Elsewhere, keep feeding and watering French and runner beans to make the most of them, continuing to harvest little and often to
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PROPERTY NEWS
prevent them going to seed. Once they have completed their crop, cut the plants away at ground level but leave the roots as they will release nitrogen into the soils as they break down. Sweetcorn has enjoyed a resurgence but needs a little test to see if it is ripe: pinch a kernel and if it releases a milky sap, it is ready. If watery, it needs a little longer but if it is starchy, then it’s too late. As for your maincrop potatoes, pull or cut off the foliage at ground level around three weeks before harvesting. This will prevent blight spores infecting the tubers as you lift them, and helps to firm the skins. After they have been dug up, let them dry for a few hours before storing in a cool, dark place. Storing them in paper or the more traditional hessian sacks will allow them to breathe, but only keep the undamaged, disease-free tubers – one rotten spud can spoil the crop.